Could Carroll be the answer for misfiring Spurs? Tottenham scouting West Ham's on-loan striker with view to summer move

Tottenham are monitoring Andy Carroll’s form at West Ham as the White Hart Lane club consider strengthening their own attacking options.

The 23-year-old England striker is on loan from Liverpool with the option of a permanent £17million deal next summer.

Spurs would be unable to swoop for Carroll in January due to regulations preventing players appearing for more than two teams during the same domestic season. The North Londoners are, however, considering a summer move for the England striker should he build on his impressive start at Upton Park.

Sportsmail understands that Tottenham scouts have been impressed with the Geodie's commanding displays since his shock loan move from Anfield and, should he begin to add goals to his performances, Carroll could be the subject of firmer interest at the end of the season.

Try as he might: Andy Carroll is yet to score for West Ham, but Spurs are keen

However, Liverpool are open to offers as they look to finance further rebuilding in January.

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has Jermain Defoe and the unsettled Emmanuel Adebayor but is exploring options.

The Portuguese manager came in for fierce criticism from Spurs fans on Saturday when he swapped one striker for another with his side chasing the game.

As Defoe made his exit straight down the tunnel in the 57th-minute, boos rang out around White Hart Lane.

Summer signing Adebayor was returning to the squad after missing the past three games with illness and a back injury.

The Togolese striker has only played five times this season and is yet to start a match, with Villas-Boas preferring to play Defoe up front alone with three attacking midfielders behind him.

Frustrations: Spurs fans were unhappy when Emmanuel Adebayor replaced Jermain Defoe like-for-like with the team 1-0 down at home to Wigan

Later, Villas-Boas would not rule out playing Defoe and Adebayor up top together in future, saying: 'It's not impossible we will play with two strikers. We've seen that it can work.

'In the games when Adebayor was available he showed the quality striker that he is. We have him fit now and hopefully ready for the upcoming games.'